


By Council Guides the Life of Man

by nubianamy



Series: (What It Looks Like and) What It Is [8]
Category: The West Wing
Genre: Chess, Christmas, Episode: s01e10 In Excelsis Deo, M/M, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 04:34:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29254530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nubianamy/pseuds/nubianamy
Summary: Charlie encourages Leo to accept Jed’s invitation to go home with him for the holidays.
Relationships: Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet/Leo McGarry
Series: (What It Looks Like and) What It Is [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021147
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	By Council Guides the Life of Man

**Author's Note:**

> The advantages of this little work are twofold—that it excites laughter, and by counsel guides the life of man.  
> -Phaedrus, in the preface to his volume of Fables told in iambic verse

Charlie stood close enough to Leo that he couldn’t ignore him. “Aren’t you looking for a book, too?”

“Here? No.” Charlie gazed up at the dusty ceiling in amusement before returning his eyes to the President, browsing the bookshelves two aisles over. “I already bought my sister her Christmas presents.” 

Leo nodded approval. “She’s a reader, eh? Like you.”

“I wasn’t a reader like that, sir. When I was a kid, I only ever read because I had to. She reads like it’s food or water. My mom would get her a book every Christmas, but I always knew she wanted more than one. This year I got her five.”

"Nice." His eyes softened with nostalgia. “Mallory read voraciously when she was a kid. Couldn’t tear her away from fiction. I love listening to her talk about reading to her students.” 

Charlie nodded, but Leo’s reminiscent smile faded quickly. He looked both ways up and down the aisles. “Sir—”

“Call me Leo, Charlie. I’m not sir to you.” 

“It’s habit. Leo. Did he just invite you to Manchester for the holidays?”

Leo’s expression settled into something serious and still. “I believe I declined.”

“I heard that too. It’s just… well, I don’t know. I think you should reconsider. Maybe it’s just a feeling.”

“A feeling?” Leo carefully turned his back to the Secret Service agents, arranging himself so the President wouldn’t be able to see what they were talking about, and lowered his voice. “What have you seen?”

“Nothing, sir.” Charlie frowned, shaking his head. “Nothing specific, anyway. It’s only that I don’t know the First Lady so well, and if I did notice something, it would be hard to bring it up with her. I think she isn’t sure about me.”

“Well, if she isn’t, it’s only because you’re new around here. It has nothing to do with your importance or fitness for the job.” Leo touched his shoulder. _“I’m_ sure about that.” 

“Thank you, sir... Leo.” 

After Charlie paid for the President’s books, they filed out, preceded and followed by agents. The last one out accompanied the President to the car. 

Leo turned back to Charlie, frowning. “What you saw, did he do something? Did he seem ill?” 

Now his eyes were creased with lines of worry. Charlie recognized that look. “No, nothing like that. I know something's going on for you, something you're not talking about.” He gestured out the door where the president’s motorcade was waiting. “Whatever it is, everybody’s worried about you. And they’re trying to get you to come over to their house for Christmas, so they won’t _have_ to worry about you. They did it to me, too, when my mom passed. But the President…” He shrugged, feeling embarrassed. “I’m pretty sure he's not thinking about that.” 

Leo chuckled once. “Maybe a little. But no, you’re probably right.”

“Yeah, so… you should go. Because he's thinking about himself for once. It would be, like, a present. For him.” 

The way Leo raised his eyebrow made Charlie want to take it back. But then he smiled more warmly, and Charlie let a little of the tension in his shoulders go.

“If I go to Manchester, he’ll make me play chess with him, all weekend long. You really think that would be a present for him?”

“Uh…” Charlie’s eyebrows went up, then down. “Excuse me, but I’m pretty sure the President loves chess.”

“Yeah, but he doesn’t love to lose.” He patted Charlie’s back, gesturing toward the door. “And I always beat him. There’s a reason why we never play at the White House: he gets very grumpy.Now, tell me, you still think I should go to Manchester?”

“Let me get back to you about that, sir,” Charlie said, and Leo laughed. 

The rest of the ride to the White House was uneventful, but Charlie thought about Leo’s comment as he carefully held the stack of books, wrapped in paper and string, on his lap. 

He kept thinking until they were back in the Oval, hanging back in Mrs. Landingham’s office until Leo appeared to be done talking with the President. Charlie still hadn’t decided exactly what to say when Leo went right up to him and said, “You need something else, Charlie?”

Charlie hesitated. “It’s probably not the best place to talk about this.” 

“Charlie, if there’s anywhere safer than the Oval, anywhere in D.C., I’ll eat that copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, and it was signed by Abraham Lincoln.” He nodded expectantly. “Go ahead.” 

He cleared his throat. “In the bookstore, what did you mean that you would need an exit strategy?” 

Leo nodded again, more slowly, checking over Charlie’s shoulder before answering. “The rumors that I’m a recovering alcoholic? They're true. Except Representative Lillianfield also managed to discover I was in treatment for Valium addiction.” 

“And that’s it?”

“What, you don’t think that’s enough for the American people to convict me in the court of public opinion?”

“No,” Charlie said quietly, “but I think there are other things they could have found out that would cause a bigger stir.” 

Leo’s gaze didn’t waver. “Is that all?”

“I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t something else I should be prepared to deny.” He paused. “This isn’t going to be easy for you, is it, sir.”

“I always assumed it would come out someday, and I’m prepared to deal with the consequences. He’s going to need all of you in the coming months—” 

“Yeah,” Charle interrupted. “He’s going to need all of us.” 

“Is that all?” Leo said again, a little louder. 

“That’s all. For now.”

“Everything okay in here?” They both turned toward the Oval Office doorway, where the President was standing. “Tis the season, gentlemen. How about you take your fisticuffs outside.” 

“Yes, sir.” Leo sounded gracious enough, although he didn’t stick around for an extension of their conversation. Charlie busied himself at his desk, but the President remained, watching him.

“You have plans for Christmas, Charlie?”

“Me and my sister, we’re going to my aunt’s house for dinner.” He offered a smile. “What about you and the First Lady?”

“We’ll heading to Manchester with Zoe, to meet our oldest and her family. With any luck, nothing will combust for at least forty-eight hours.” 

“Maybe you’ll have a chance to play some chess.” 

The President shook his head regretfully. “Abbey is pretty good, but she doesn’t really like to play.” 

“I mean… with Mr. McGarry, sir?”

Charlie held his breath while the silence stretched a beat too long. Finally the President smiled. “I wonder what rumors you’ve been listening to.” 

“None, sir, I promise. Although he did say you get grumpy when he beats you.”

Now the President laughed. It was not the first time Charlie had heard him do that, but it was an unusual enough occurrence that it made him blanch a little. 

“Just for that, I’m going to have to challenge him to a game, even if he doesn’t offer. Grumpy, indeed.” He crossed his arms in bemusement. “Do you play chess, Charlie?”

“No sir,” Charlie said quickly. 

“I think you should learn.” 

“I’ll get right on that, sir.”


End file.
